June 11th - Join with us as we rally outside Downing Street and Lobby our MPs in Parliament asking for the right to Independent Living.
Previous action
Mass Lobby: On October 17th RADAR, with other members of the Our Lives Our Choices coalition, organised a mass lobby of Parliament. Hundreds of disabled people joined together to ask their MPs directly to support the campaign, and to support the Independent Living Bill.
MPs were told there is a crisis in the social care system. Over 70% of local authorities now only fund social care for those deemed to be in a critical situation that is life threatening. This restriction on the eligibility for social care has a huge negative impact on the quality of life of many disabled people.
The Independent Living Bill, introduced by Lord Ashley and Roger Berry MP, sets out a legislative framework for Independent Living. Read speeches made by them at the October lobby, together with Mike Smith, Chair of the National Centre for Independent Living. You can read the speeches by clicking here.
Pictures from the lobby where people with their local MPs
Rally outside Downing Street
In June 2007 RADAR joined a rally outside Downing Street with the Our Lives Our Choices coalition, and together with around 200 people we made our voice heard, calling for support for the Independent Living campaign.
The Our Lives Our Choices (OLOC) Coalition
RADAR is part of a national campaign "Our Lives, Our Choices" that has formed to support the Independent Living bill. We are seeking radical reform of health and social care so that: -
- Disabled people of all ages and backgrounds can take control of their own lives, live with dignity, and participate fully in society as equal citizens;
- Families and friends of disabled people are not forced into poverty and lack of opportunities by the inadequacies of the current system;
- All of us can enjoy security now and in the future without worrying that our independence will be lost.
When we experience disability, illness, or old age we should all be able to rely on a level of state support that allows us to maintain our independence. The current system simply cannot deliver. The result is dependency, poverty, and exclusion.
Things could be very different. Lord Ashley’s Independent Living Bill would create a system that is fit for the future – one we can all rely on. We are campaigning for the Bill to be enacted within the lifetime of this Parliament and for Government to invest in all our futures.